DNA as a Genealogical Verification Tool

DNA has been used in many ways to positively identify a connection between two organic things. It is best known of course, to positively identify evidence from a crime scene to a particular person. DNA can also effectively be used to connect a male descendant to his (male) ancestors. DNA from the Y Chromosome can connect any two people as family members, of any age, across any location and any time. And, if any two men (only men have the Y chromosome and that chromosome is only passed down intact (inherited) from father to son, etc.) have a Y Chromosome DNA match and one of those people can prove an ancestry then the other person can assume that ancestry is his also, at least as far as some common ancestor somewhere in their past.

Y-DNA consists of a string of numbers, often called markers. These numbers are not medically informative or personally identifiable, but it is possible to compare one person's markers with another person's markers to determine if they are related. For our purposes a Y-DNA sample from any living male descendant of this David Howell family can be compared a sample to that of any other Howell family and if a match can be found a connection to that persons proven ancestors assured, even though the actual common ancestor may not be known. It is good science and it can be trusted. Furthermore, results from male descendants from different branches of this same family (different children) can confirm their relationship beyond what we currently know.

In the last few years testing for the Y Chromosome DNA has become more widely available and affordable and as such a unique and important tool for the genealogist. There are now several very reputable labs who do this specifically for genealogy as well as groups who have organized for unique family groups, including one for Howell families.

We are a member of the Howell Surname Y-DNA Project which is associated with the Family Tree DNA - Genealogy by Genetics, Ltd. company. Results from one male member of our David Howell family show no known EXACT match with anyone in the Howell Surname Project nor (so far) with any other results we have seen. There is however a remarkable similarity with our results and those tested and known to be descendants of the Edward Howell family of Southampton, Long Island New York. In several cases we see a difference in only one of the first 12 markers tested and that by only one point. In other cases two markers are different and they too are off by only one point. The next 13 markers show a greater difference where more differ, although usually by 2 points or less. It is generally accepted however, that six or more differences in a 25 marker test indicate no direct relationship in a long time, perhaps 2000 years or more. Never-the-less, the differences with all other Howell results, groups or individuals, are much greater and can be assumed to be of no direct or recent (several thousand generations) indirect relationship to our family.

We also have contributed to the Genographic Project, a collaboration between the National Geographic Society and IBM to gather YDNA haplogroup data to better understand and then show graphically the ancient location origins of man and then his migration patterns throughout history. Our particular Howell family haplogroup's (R1b) results are shown here.